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- Before and after any type of exercise, it
Our question this month actually comes from three different readers:
I'm in the 65+ age group and often compete against 20- and 30- somethings. I want to be fit, strong, and tall in the saddle--and not feel like a sack of potatoes in comparison to my younger competitors. What type of exercise program would be most beneficial for someone in my age group?
Miriam McGurran
Woodbury, Minn.
I'm a newbie who's just starting taking riding lessons. I haven't been very physically active the last few years, and I know my muscles aren't in good condition. What exercises can I do to improve my riding?
Cathy Michiels
Lake Charles, La.
I was an avid rider as a kid and rode through high school and college. Since then, family obligations and a demanding job have kept me out of the saddle for quite some time. I really want to get back into it, but am apprehensive, as I've gained weight and am out of shape. What can I do to prepare?
Cindy Woods
Rock Hill, S.C.
We turned to a panel of Team Horse & Rider members for advice on the topic of getting and staying fit for riding: Al Dunning, Robin Gollehon, Carol Metcalf, Lynn Palm and Stacy Westfall. They'll offer general information on the three building blocks of fitness--stamina, muscle strength, and flexibility--then share some specific tips for making your efforts to condition your body do-able and even fun, on your horse and off.
Fitness Basics
Stamina comes from aerobic fitness, the ability to sustain work for prolonged periods; it enables you to ride without gasping for breath. "Cardio" work (which gets your heart pumping for at least 20 to 30 minutes at a time) is needed to develop this sort of endurance.
"Riders need to incorporate cardio work into their exercise regimens several times a week," advises Robin Gollehan. "Jogging, power walking, aerobics, kick-boxing, bike riding--there are lots of options.Choose something that's fun for you, and you'll find it easier to stay faithful to your exercise sessions without burning out."
As Carol Metcalf points out, you may find it easier to do shorter workouts several times a week, instead of one two hour workout once or twice a week. And, she adds, you can supplement your workouts by being proactive and looking for opportunities for additional aerobic exercise throughout your day.
"Take the stairs instead of the elevator," she suggests. "Walk instead of driving if you're going a reasonable distance. Step briskly and swing your arms when you're walking through the mall or across the parking lot. Use every opportunity you can find to move."
Carol adds that swimming and water aerobics, because they're essentially zero-impact activities, can be great cardio choices for baby boomers with joint issues. "A stationary bike is another great tool, as it's easier on your knees than jogging and it's always 'out of the weather.' Power walking on a soft surface--such as the padded, mesh walkways available at many gyms--is also a good option for boomers," she points out.
Al Dunning, whose own back problems have ruled out high impact exercise choices, favors an elliptical machine,which simulates a walking/running motion but in a gliding fashion that avoids pounding. "It's much easier on your bones, joints, and muscles, and especially useful if you're working through an injury or are subject to constant soreness," he says.
Muscle strength enables you to use the various parts of your body effectively to cue and control your horse. Of special interest are your core muscles--those found in your midsection, including your abdominals, lower back, and inner thigh. A strong core makes everything you do, including riding, easier. It also enhances balance and protects your back from injury. Obviously, strong arms and legs are also key to the effectiveness of a rider. Exercises and movements that target key muscles groups will develop muscle strength.
"A little muscle toning every day can add up to a surprising strength boost," notes Carol, who adds that maintaining muscle strength is especially important for mature riders. "If you're over 40, you've lost about 10 percent of your former muscle mass, and if you don't maintain the muscle you have, you'll continue to lose it at an increasing rate as you age."
Her suggestion? "Incorporate key muscle-toning moves (crunches, push-ups, squats, lunges, biceps/triceps work--the usual key group) into 'spare' moments in your day, such as when you're watching TV or waiting for water to boil in the kitchen. Start without weights, and as you increase your strength, add small free weights (available inexpensively at second-hand sports stores), then increase their size/weight gradually. This is especially important with your squats and lunges, which work the large muscle groups of the legs."
